added 2008 Thu May 15 20:21:48 by jaycfields
Sadly, DRY has become a philosophy that is dogmatically and blindly applied to every aspect of programming. I'm a big fan of firing silver bullets but if you go that path your number one priority needs to be finding where a solution does not fit. In fact, those who have applied DRY excessively have found that there are situations when DRY may not be advantageous.
Sadly, DRY has become a philosophy that is dogmatically and blindly applied to every aspect of programming. I'm a big fan of firing silver bullets but if you go that path your number one priority needs to be finding where a solution does not fit. In fact, those who have applied DRY excessively have found that there are situations when DRY may not be advantageous.
added 2008 Thu May 15 13:34:28 by mswatcher
I was recently working on a project where there was an option to export data from the database. The export function simply exported 2 hard-coded columns that were returned by a stored procedure into a tab-delimited text file.
I was recently working on a project where there was an option to export data from the database. The export function simply exported 2 hard-coded columns that were returned by a stored procedure into a tab-delimited text file.
added 2008 Thu May 15 12:07:29 by daniel
A pithy commentary on the many wars we start over the "one true way" of solving trivial problems.
A pithy commentary on the many wars we start over the "one true way" of solving trivial problems.
added 2008 Wed May 14 20:14:46 by danielstoner
The fact that I find flaws in the design of the Java exceptions class hierarchy doesn’t mean I think there is no value in the whole system. Checked exceptions have a positive impact in development. The positive comes from the proactive nature of checked exceptions. They demand attention!
The fact that I find flaws in the design of the Java exceptions class hierarchy doesn’t mean I think there is no value in the whole system. Checked exceptions have a positive impact in development. The positive comes from the proactive nature of checked exceptions. They demand attention!
added 2008 Wed May 14 16:27:42 by izittm
A brief tutorial about writing OO-enabled programs in JavaScript.
A brief tutorial about writing OO-enabled programs in JavaScript.
added 2008 Tue May 13 13:54:55 by dlinsin
I'm new to Scrum and I started to read up on the basics of agile software development. I found this particular core principle of Extreme Programing, which kinda strikes odd to me: Collective Code Ownership.
I'm new to Scrum and I started to read up on the basics of agile software development. I found this particular core principle of Extreme Programing, which kinda strikes odd to me: Collective Code Ownership.
added 2008 Mon May 12 12:59:47 by bloid
What this isn’t: a Git tutorial. It doesn’t tell you how to set up git, or use it. I don’t cover branches, or merging, or tags, or blobs. There are dozens of really great articles about Git on the web; here are some. What’s here are just some pictures that aren’t about branches or blobs, that I wished I’d been able to look at six months ago when I was trying to figure this stuff out; I still haven’t seen them elsewhere, so here they are now.
What this isn’t: a Git tutorial. It doesn’t tell you how to set up git, or use it. I don’t cover branches, or merging, or tags, or blobs. There are dozens of really great articles about Git on the web; here are some. What’s here are just some pictures that aren’t about branches or blobs, that I wished I’d been able to look at six months ago when I was trying to figure this stuff out; I still haven’t seen them elsewhere, so here they are now.
added 2008 Fri May 9 19:11:31 by Kelly Waters
Agile project management, using methods such as Scrum and eXtreme Programming, alone is not enough...
Agile project management, using methods such as Scrum and eXtreme Programming, alone is not enough...
added 2008 Fri May 9 16:19:29 by mswatcher
The Semantic Web is a web of data. There is lots of data we all use every day, and it’s not part of the web. I can see my bank statements on the web, and my photographs, and I can see my appointments in a calendar. But can I see my photos in a calendar to see what I was doing when I took them? Can I see bank statement lines in a calendar? Why not? Because we don't have a web of data. Because data is controlled by applications, and each application keeps it to itself.
The Semantic Web is a web of data. There is lots of data we all use every day, and it’s not part of the web. I can see my bank statements on the web, and my photographs, and I can see my appointments in a calendar. But can I see my photos in a calendar to see what I was doing when I took them? Can I see bank statement lines in a calendar? Why not? Because we don't have a web of data. Because data is controlled by applications, and each application keeps it to itself.
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added 2008 Fri May 9 11:03:07 by hal10001
I had lunch with a former colleague recently, and we were discussing the type of work environments that are conducive to productivity and employee retention. As a psychology major he was able to pinpoint a simple principle that I had overlooked, but that was strikingly obvious. Enlightened by his observation, I wonder now how many in my field wish to adorn a stick-on name tag, and state with anxious resolve, "Hi, my name is Resource. I am seventy-five percent billable."
I had lunch with a former colleague recently, and we were discussing the type of work environments that are conducive to productivity and employee retention. As a psychology major he was able to pinpoint a simple principle that I had overlooked, but that was strikingly obvious. Enlightened by his observation, I wonder now how many in my field wish to adorn a stick-on name tag, and state with anxious resolve, "Hi, my name is Resource. I am seventy-five percent billable."
added 2008 Thu May 8 20:04:06 by bloid
As you enter into Agile world, a statement welcomes you - "Just do enough documentation". For quite sometime, I was puzzled what we really mean by this. In my view "just-enough" is very ambiguous or abstract. You cannot quantify it. For some who are working for a development project, creating documentation may not make much sense as you can find people just across your table to answer your question and you can get away by doing "not just-enough documentation"
As you enter into Agile world, a statement welcomes you - "Just do enough documentation". For quite sometime, I was puzzled what we really mean by this. In my view "just-enough" is very ambiguous or abstract. You cannot quantify it. For some who are working for a development project, creating documentation may not make much sense as you can find people just across your table to answer your question and you can get away by doing "not just-enough documentation"
added 2008 Wed May 7 21:55:54 by Artem
User Stories are a not mandatory, but very recommended part of Scrum and eXtreme Programming methods. Most of people acquainted with agile software development feel comfortable with the requirements written in the form of "As a [user role] I want to [goal], so that [reason]". Less people are acquainted with epics and themes usage.
User Stories are a not mandatory, but very recommended part of Scrum and eXtreme Programming methods. Most of people acquainted with agile software development feel comfortable with the requirements written in the form of "As a [user role] I want to [goal], so that [reason]". Less people are acquainted with epics and themes usage.
added 2008 Wed May 7 17:45:34 by mswatcher
There are two applications on CodePlex that are interesting to compare and contrast. The MVC Storefront and Background Motion. MVC Storefront is Rob Conery's work. You can watch Rob lift up the grass skirt as he builds this application in a series of webcasts (currently up to Part 8). Rob is using the ASP.NET MVC framework and LINQ to SQL. The Storefront is a work in progress and Rob is actively soliciting feedback on what you want to see.
There are two applications on CodePlex that are interesting to compare and contrast. The MVC Storefront and Background Motion. MVC Storefront is Rob Conery's work. You can watch Rob lift up the grass skirt as he builds this application in a series of webcasts (currently up to Part 8). Rob is using the ASP.NET MVC framework and LINQ to SQL. The Storefront is a work in progress and Rob is actively soliciting feedback on what you want to see.
added 2008 Wed May 7 17:37:05 by orionl
In the comments to my post about what Terracotta is not, Jay Meyer wrote, "[Terracotta] is so disruptive that an application architect really needs to sit down and assume Terracotta is available and then design a real killer app." With that in mind, I've recently noticed a couple of interesting and creative uses of Terracotta that utilize its unique features.
In the comments to my post about what Terracotta is not, Jay Meyer wrote, "[Terracotta] is so disruptive that an application architect really needs to sit down and assume Terracotta is available and then design a real killer app." With that in mind, I've recently noticed a couple of interesting and creative uses of Terracotta that utilize its unique features.
added 2008 Tue May 6 21:31:16 by bloid
Many in the Agile community have been practicing Collective Code Ownership for a few years now and we've had time to find some of it faults.
Many in the Agile community have been practicing Collective Code Ownership for a few years now and we've had time to find some of it faults.
added 2008 Tue May 6 16:26:34 by estherschindler
If a previous employer called to ask you about a bug in the code you'd written for them, how much time and energy would you be comfortable investing in helping out?
If a previous employer called to ask you about a bug in the code you'd written for them, how much time and energy would you be comfortable investing in helping out?
added 2008 Mon May 5 23:30:56 by Allison_Roberts
Genuitec is proud to announce the availability of Pulse 2.1. Pulse 2.1 is an easy way to obtain, manage and configure your Eclipse-based products, and it offers users extensive feature and usability enhancements over previous versions.
Genuitec is proud to announce the availability of Pulse 2.1. Pulse 2.1 is an easy way to obtain, manage and configure your Eclipse-based products, and it offers users extensive feature and usability enhancements over previous versions.
added 2008 Mon May 5 7:26:43 by jansokol
Do you sometimes also have problem to make clear distinction between iterative and incremental development? What if you should explain difference to customer or friend?
Do you sometimes also have problem to make clear distinction between iterative and incremental development? What if you should explain difference to customer or friend?
added 2008 Thu May 1 10:49:19 by DanielleSassyGal
Great advice, and something I wish more developers here would adhere to. Me? I'm perfect. ;-)
Great advice, and something I wish more developers here would adhere to. Me? I'm perfect. ;-)
added 2008 Thu May 1 8:35:52 by MichaelDavid1
Another feather in the cap for Agile using stream-based software configuration management (SCM)
Another feather in the cap for Agile using stream-based software configuration management (SCM)
added 2008 Wed Apr 30 21:07:18 by hal10001
Do you remember Book It!, the reading incentive program by Pizza Hut that is still available to elementary school teachers? Just like the Scholastic Book Club before it, both provide children with an exciting avenue that fosters reading. It meant gold stars, the admiration of your peers, and quiet nights under the covers accompanied only by a flashlight and the intoxicating smell of an old library book. Of course, it also meant free pizza.
Do you remember Book It!, the reading incentive program by Pizza Hut that is still available to elementary school teachers? Just like the Scholastic Book Club before it, both provide children with an exciting avenue that fosters reading. It meant gold stars, the admiration of your peers, and quiet nights under the covers accompanied only by a flashlight and the intoxicating smell of an old library book. Of course, it also meant free pizza.
added 2008 Wed Apr 30 16:20:26 by jansokol
Some general stuff about Scrum and common problems.
Some general stuff about Scrum and common problems.
added 2008 Wed Apr 30 11:07:35 by Artem
Here at DTS, we're very focused on consulting-type software development. As such, we have very direct access to our end users and customers. Our work is "clearly" defined and prioritized by our customers and we receive direct customer feedback every two weeks. We do not have a dispersed customer base, it's usually a single organization. However, last week I had lunch with a friend who does more "shrink-wrap" development. His customers and end-users never define or prioritize their needs. In fact, unless it's by pure happenstance, the developers never meet or know their customers. The functionality and feature set for the software is defined by an internal customer proxy who has his "finger on the pulse of the customer".
Here at DTS, we're very focused on consulting-type software development. As such, we have very direct access to our end users and customers. Our work is "clearly" defined and prioritized by our customers and we receive direct customer feedback every two weeks. We do not have a dispersed customer base, it's usually a single organization. However, last week I had lunch with a friend who does more "shrink-wrap" development. His customers and end-users never define or prioritize their needs. In fact, unless it's by pure happenstance, the developers never meet or know their customers. The functionality and feature set for the software is defined by an internal customer proxy who has his "finger on the pulse of the customer".
added 2008 Wed Apr 30 5:54:49 by bloid
I’ve had numerous conversations over the past year or so with people who aren’t that familiar with writing automated tests (be they unit tests, functional tests, or what have you), and all the advice I give can really be summed up in one simple rule: Your tests should break if and only if the product is broken
I’ve had numerous conversations over the past year or so with people who aren’t that familiar with writing automated tests (be they unit tests, functional tests, or what have you), and all the advice I give can really be summed up in one simple rule: Your tests should break if and only if the product is broken
added 2008 Tue Apr 29 9:00:17 by andysingleton
Rebuilding your software to update the architecture is the riskiest development project you will ever dive into. This article covers advantages the and disadvantages of three tactical options - "prototype", "incremental", and "buy". Plus, it describes a rare controlled experiment in which one entrepreneur did a rebuild, and another entrepreneur went forward with the old code. Who wins?
Rebuilding your software to update the architecture is the riskiest development project you will ever dive into. This article covers advantages the and disadvantages of three tactical options - "prototype", "incremental", and "buy". Plus, it describes a rare controlled experiment in which one entrepreneur did a rebuild, and another entrepreneur went forward with the old code. Who wins?
added 2008 Mon Apr 28 11:44:39 by JackyBrown
The standard idea of code aesthetics, when such an idea manifests itself at all, allows for programmers to have elegance and clarity as their standards. This paper explores programming practices in which other values are at work, showing that the aesthetics of code must be enlarged to accommodate them.
The standard idea of code aesthetics, when such an idea manifests itself at all, allows for programmers to have elegance and clarity as their standards. This paper explores programming practices in which other values are at work, showing that the aesthetics of code must be enlarged to accommodate them.
added 2008 Sun Apr 27 19:07:36 by Sinjin56
I groking streams...continuous integration on steroids.
I groking streams...continuous integration on steroids.
added 2008 Sat Apr 26 2:28:23 by Chris Spagnuolo
A little flash video of an agile team vs a waterfall team. The message: Join the agile revolution.
A little flash video of an agile team vs a waterfall team. The message: Join the agile revolution.
added 2008 Fri Apr 25 17:01:56 by kschrader
Yesterday, I finally got around to upgrading HAML in our Rails app to the newest stable version and the first thing that happened was that 20 completely unrelated specs broke. Monkey patching, that's why.
Yesterday, I finally got around to upgrading HAML in our Rails app to the newest stable version and the first thing that happened was that 20 completely unrelated specs broke. Monkey patching, that's why.
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